All air support convalescent beds have an air supply system to transfer pressurized air from an air supply to the individual air cells of the bed system. Typically the air supply or air supply manifold is in communication with a plurality of conduits extending from the air supply or manifold to the individual air cells or groups of air cells. In most cases each of the air supply conduits is provided with a control valve that may be manipulated for adjusting the pressure in individual air cells according to the needs of the patient. Typically these valves are provided at a location that is inaccessible by the patient such that the patient cannot efficiently control the air supply for purposes of comfort. In some cases, multiple valves for the air distribution conduits are located in a secure enclosure that is accessible only by nursing personnel, thus insuring that the patient's medical needs may be closely controlled and monitored to insure the desired standard of treatment for any particular patient.
In other cases the air supply system itself is variable thereby allowing nursing personnel or those servicing the air bed system to control the pressure and volume of air being supplied to the bed in order to maintain the various regions of the bed structure within predetermined pressure ranges to thereby satisfy prescribed medical conditions for convalescence of individual patients. Under circumstances where patients or those in attendance with the patients have access to pressure and volume controls for air support convalescent beds it is well known that the control system of the bed can easily get completely out of adjustment such that the needs of the patient for optimum support are not efficiently maintained. It is desirable therefore to provide a simplified air support convalescent bed system incorporating an air supply that may be simply and efficiently adjusted by the patient or by untrained persons in attendance with the patient for adjustment of the pressure and volume of air supply for the comfort of the patient. It is also desirable that an air support convalescent bed system be provided wherein the various regions of the air support bed are enabled to efficiently maintain a predetermined regional relationship as the air support bed is made more soft or firm by adjustment according to the needs of the patient's comfort. Even further, it is desirable to provide limits of the degree of firmness or softness of air support convalescent beds in order that efficient convalescing treatment of the patient may be effectively maintained even though the patient or others have the capability of adjusting the pressure and volume or air supplied to the air cells of the air bed system.
Accordingly, it is therefore a principal feature of the present invention to provide a novel air distribution system for air support convalescent beds that may be simply and efficiently adjusted by the patient or persons in attendance to the patient for controlling the firmness or softness of the air cells for the comfort and convalescing needs of the patient.
It is also a feature of this invention to provide a novel air supply system for air support convalescent beds wherein air distribution to individual air cells or groups of air cells is preset such that a predetermined pressure/volume relationship is always maintained regardless of pressure and volume adjustment that is accomplished by or for the patient.
It is an even further feature of this invention to provide a novel air distribution system for air support convalescent beds wherein pressurized air supply from a source of compressed air to an air distribution manifold is efficiently adjustable through operation of a single control valve.
It is also a feature of this invention to provide a novel air distribution system for air support convalescent beds incorporation a single control system for controlling the firmness or softness of the bed system which may be efficiently activated by the patient or those in attendance to the patient without the possibility of the air supply to individual air cells or groups of air cells getting out of adjustment.
It is an even further feature of this invention to provide a novel air distribution system for air support convalescent beds wherein the supply of air is adjustable between upper and lower limits to insure maintenance of the convalescent bed within a predetermined air pressure and volume range as prescribed for adequate convalescing treatment of the patient.